With the Super 15 having wound up for another year, ODT Online rugby writer Jeff Cheshire picks his NZ Conference form XV for the 2014 season.
15. Ben Smith
There was only ever one player going to fill this jersey. As dangerous as ever from the back, Smith retained his ability to spot gaps, break the line and step out of tackles. This was perhaps even more impressive this year as he was one of the most heavily marked men in the competition. His fundamentals have improved markedly over the past two years too. Under the high ball he is now safe and made some great takes this year, while his kicking game was always above adequate.
Defensively he is brilliant too, making some great cover tackles and reading the game well. An honourable mention goes to Charles Piutau, who was also outstanding before injury intervened.
14. Julian Savea
A slight positional change for Savea to ensure the two best wingers make the team. There is no more damaging runner in world rugby at the moment. His pace, size and strength, make him such a handful for defences to try and contain. Out wide he often finds himself running at smaller men who he brushes off. Coming into the line, he draws multiple tacklers and always provides go-forward through the middle. His catching ability has come light years from where it was two years ago and he is even developing a kicking game that is coming along. Next best was the Highlanders' Richard Buckman, who was consistently the tidiest winger in the country.
13. Malakai Fekitoa
An absolute revelation, Fekitoa was a huge difference maker for the Highlanders. He got better and better as the season went on, progressing from a strong ball runner, to a centre capable of distributing and showing an offloading game. There were a few memorable instances where he read the opposition attack well and rushed up to make crucial tackles too. But it was his attack that sticks out in the mind more than anything. Big, strong, fast and powerful, the man provided spark in the bundles and always broke a handful of tackles. Most memorable was his solo-try against the Sharks, where he ran through half the team to score. He beats out Conrad Smith for the spot, who was his usual consistent self throughout the season.
12. Alapati Leiua
Leiua has shown his versatility in recent years, but it was as a second five-eighth that he has perhaps looked his best. The Samoan utility stepped into fill what had been a problem position for the Hurricanes this season. When he was used there, he was outstanding. He constantly threatened with ball in hand, breaking tackles and creating space for Savea, Smith and Cory Jane to work with. It is a shame he is leaving, after probably his best season in New Zealand. There was not a lot below him either. Ma'a Nonu showed his class at times, while Dan Carter was tidy upon his return.
11. Nemani Nadolo
It is extremely rare for players to come from nowhere in this day and age. The 26-year-old had been something of a journeyman thus far in his career. But he finally seems to have found his place at the Crusaders. The flying Fijian threatened with ball in hand in a way similar to Savea. He has pace, size and strength. With this he brought some much needed punch to a Crusaders backline which had failed to threaten prior to his arrival. He still has a way to skill-wise, but as an attacking weapon there were few better, shown by his 12 tries this year.
10. Beauden Barrett
There were some good first five-eighths on show this year, but Barrett was the most consistent of the lot. His running game is his best asset, possessing the pace allowing him to take gaps and threaten on attack. But this year he also took great strides as a director of play. He used his backline well and showed a much improved kicking game, gaining better distance and accuracy with the boot.
Aaron Cruden was as good as any early on in the season, shown best by the way the Chiefs went into a slump after his injury. Likewise Colin Slade began playing with confidence again, taking the line on, kicking well and keeping Dan Carter out of the No. 10 jersey.
9. Aaron Smith
This was probably the easiest decision to make for this team. Smith played out of his skin this year. He rarely had a bad passing game, even when under pressure and getting messy ball from his forwards. His running game was good, as was his support, never giving up on a play. In 2013 he was underwhelming for the Highlanders and it seemed the lack of direction from the inside backs was much of the problem. This was not the case this year, as he directed play far better, organizing the defence well and clearing the ball effectively under pressure.
Next best was TJ Perenara, while Andy Ellis can still consider himself unlucky to be ignored by the All Blacks.
8. Jerome Kaino
It did not take Kaino long to show that he is still perhaps the best player in the world. There were games where he was colossal in his efforts. Physically there are none better. With ball in hand he goes forward. When defending he stops his tackles strongly. He is consistently hard worker, not a player who will drift in and out of a game. What else could you ask of a player in Kaino's mould? His influence on any game he plays in is immense and he was huge in keeping the Blues competitive this year.
Nasi Manu makes a strong case for inclusion too, a similar type of player. Kieran Read was good when he took the field, while Victor Vito's form earned him a deserved All Blacks recall.
7. Shane Christie
There were a lot of good openside flankers this year, but Christie was the most consistent of the lot. Defensively he was right up there with the best players in the competition. He tackled and tackled and tackled. Then when he was done with that he got up and tackled some more. His speed around the field was fantastic and did a good job of slowing down the opposition ruck-ball. At times he showed a good running game too.
Jack Lam was the next best, another strong defender who was brutal tackling. Matt Todd's form towards the end of the season was outstanding, while Luke Braid continued to fight and must not be far away from an All Black opportunity.
6. Liam Messam
That Messam cannot make the All Black starting line-up is more indicative of how good Kaino has been, than anything Messam has done wrong. He remains the consistent hard worker that he has been over the past few years. A key part of the Chiefs' success in recent times has been there steely defence. No player is more prominent in this than Messam. He is relentless in the way he tackles, gets back up and makes another one. While Christie does this well in the loose, Messam tends to make his closer-in and tries to gain a physical edge. He does not fall off many either, remaining one of the most consistent players in the country.
5. Sam Whitelock
Whitelock just keeps getting better and better. He does everything you want out of a lock and more. At the lineout he is as good as anyone, both on his own ball and in contesting in the middle and at the back. Generally speaking it is tougher stealing the ball in these areas than at the front, making Whitelock's ability that much more valuable. His work rate is high too, making an impact with everything he does. He is equally capable of toiling away and getting stuck in as he is of making a big impact tackle or a good run in the loose. In the final he made 18 tackles. That number speaks for itself really.
4. Brodie Retallick
No one has a bigger motor than Retallick. He never stops. The man is like a machine, getting to the next ruck and cleaning it out effectively. It is not perhaps the most glamorous job. Nor is it the most obvious. But it is one of the most important and you cannot win rugby games without it. No-one does it better than Retallick, both in the quality and quantity of his cleanouts. You will see him making his share of tackles as well and in the lineout he is a safe target.
Next best was Joe Wheeler, a player in a similar mould, and Patrick Tuipolotu, a strong ball-running prospect with a bright future.
3. Owen Franks
Franks got better as the season went on and as his form improved, so did that of the Crusaders. He was a key part of the tight five that dominated its opposition en-route to the final. At scrum time he was strong and he worked hard around the field, adding physicality in the tight. His closest competition comes in Chris King, who was busy around the field, but was not as strong in the scrum as Franks.
2. Dane Coles
It is lucky Dane Coles is coming through because there is not many other world-class hookers around in this country right now. 2014 saw him go to a new level. He still has the pace and skill in the loose that makes him noticeable. But he has picked up his work rate and is now a big tackler. As a ball-runner he is one of the better tight forwards around, taking it up strongly in close and capable of threatening in the loose.
Keven Mealamu and Corey Flynn were the next best, continuing the toil away, although not the dynamic players they once were. Ged Robinson was possibly the most under-rated player of the season and should be at least considered as a possibility too.
1. Kane Hames
Another great find for the Highlanders this year, Hames has emerged as a genuine All Black contender. He was part of a forward pack that struggled in the scrum in the final two games, but prior to that showed he was capable in this area and got the better of Ben Tameifuna. It was in his work rate that he most impressed though. He was another one of those players who just does not seem to stop. Defensively he was always involved making tackles and he popped up enough on attack too. The spot of long-term replacement for Tony Woodcock in the All Blacks remains very much up for graps. If he can keep up his 2014 form, Hames will give himself every chance of filling it.
